district: SoHo
75 Prince StreetNew York, NY 10012
In a nutshell
Minimal, spacious, architectural embodiment of a tech-first high-performance athletic footwear brand.
In their words
"APL sits at the intersection of luxury and performance, creating the world's finest footwear for optimum comfort for all aspects of your lifestyle from training to travel and everything in between."
Brand Background
Founded in 2009 by twin brothers Adam and Ryan Goldston, APL is a luxury performance footwear brand based in Los Angeles. The brand was born out of the founders' desire to create shoes that could enhance athletic performance, particularly in basketball. APL gained notoriety when their Load 'N Launch® technology was banned by the NBA for providing an unfair competitive advantage. Today, APL is recognized as a pioneer in the "luxury performance" category, offering a range of athletic footwear that combines style, comfort, and innovative technology. The brand has expanded its product line to include running shoes and lifestyle sneakers, with bestsellers like the TechLoom Zipline featuring APL FutureFoam® for superior cushioning. While APL doesn't have a specific New York flagship store, it has gained a strong following through its direct-to-consumer model and partnerships with high-end retailers.
Visit Field notes
A tech-first, patent-rich, high-performance footwear brand, in a "wow" building with the fit-out of a minimalist 5-star hotel foyer with overtones of high-altitude desert. The store matches the design vision and is a must-visit for sneakerheads and design afficionados alike.
From outside the store, the light draws you in - a sort of desert glow (which we find later is an adjustable lighting system that changes throughout the day). Next, you are hit by a smell - it's a custom perfume (there's a unique scent for each store) and I had a warm hit of vanilla and wood... the secret was not divulged! The store is sparsely merchandising with the shoes being the heroes amidst the indulgent marble walls and floor. The changing rooms are laid in five shades of marble (to reflect the five boroughs, apparently) and are rather an instagram magnet.
Checkout
In the store, check out:
- the scent - the store has commissioned a custom scent that is unique to the store.
- lighting - highly controllable to manage ambience and the store atmosphere. Programmed to change during the day and over the seasons but can be controlled by store staff
- the generous space given to product display and circulation. The window displays highlight each sneaker as if in a jewellers, while the shelves of illuminated shelves draw on the aesthetic of luxury beauty retail
- changing rooms - comprising 5 open cubicles each in a visibly different marble colour, to represent the New York 5 boroughs. The full length mirrors and sight lines are planned to encourage social media promotion
- to both complement and exploit the generous window frontage the use of light-coloured stone, render and marble gives a west coast mesa/California theme
- note that the sneakers were banned for a while because of their “unfair advantage” - it was they main marketing positioning
Other Reading
- Their performance-enhancing sneaker was banned by the NBA - https://robbreport.com/style/footwear/apl-superfuture-and-concept-x-1234575827/
LAST VISITED
19/11/2024
Added
2023
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